Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(23)

I heard him open the door and greet someone. Then I heard giggling…female giggling. Sighing, I shook my head. Of course the pizza person would be a girl tonight, on the night that Kellan decides to answer the door in his skivvies. I pictured him leaning against the doorframe, every wondrous muscle distinct and defined as pizza-chick drooled over our pepperoni. At least my name on his chest would be distinct and defined for her, too.

Sorry, girlie, but the hot man handing you a twenty right now belongs to me. See, it says so right there on his pec. I smiled and rolled my eyes at myself.

The giggling never stopped the whole time she was here, and it seemed like forever as I waited. When the door finally shut and Kellan sauntered back into the kitchen, pizza box in hand, his smile was beautif-ic. It faded a little when he saw that I’d covered up with his t-shirt in his absence. He pointed at me, a smaller box in his other hand. “Uh-uh, that’s cheating. You have to stay as naked as you were when I left.” I rolled my eyes and dropped his shirt to the floor. “Even when you’re flirting with the delivery girl?”

Setting the larger box on the counter, he twisted his lips at me. “I wasn’t flirting.”

Deciding to try on that self confidence that oozed from him so fluidly, I stood up. His eyes traveled down and back up my body, his smile evening out. “You weren’t?” Coming up to stand in front of him, I leaned back on a hip and mimicked a pose that every sexy underwear 64



model used. Pointing at the smaller box in his hand, I asked, “Then what’s that?”

Shrugging, he bit his lip. “She had some extra breadsticks. She said we could have them if we wanted.”

I shook my head and he chuckled. Quickly setting down the box, his arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me tight to his body. I laced my arms around his neck while his lips traveled up my throat to my ear.

“I can’t help what women find appealing.” His mouth danced over mine, soft and feather-light, while his hand ducked inside my underwear, cupping my bottom. “But I only find you appealing,” he murmured.

Breathing much heavier, I attached my mouth to his. He could have given her a lap dance for those breadsticks right now and I wouldn’t have cared. Well, okay, I would have cared, but I would have let it go.

He may be the object of many people’s affections, but I was the object of his.

Just as I was considering removing the last piece of his clothing, he stepped away from me. Grabbing my hand, he twirled me out from him and then back to him. Laughing, my hand touched his chest for a moment before I was swirled away again. His laughter joined my own, and with only the merriment of our joy as music, we danced for a moment in his kitchen…in our underwear.

We never went back to our game after that, just snatched up greasy slices between dips and twirls. Eating and laughing, Kellan completely swept away any lingering nerves I had about the next morning. He completely washed away any thoughts of self-consciousness too. By the time we were a few slices into our pie and through a few of his hard-earned breadsticks, I was shaking my modestly covered booty for Kellan.

Nearly in hysterics when he chose to copy my move, I enjoyed finally feeling a small speck of his confidence.

And he was the reason I felt it. His gaze, his touch, his smile, his laugh, no one had ever made me feel…worshipped…quite like he did. I felt like I could do anything as I danced in that kitchen with him and I knew, without a doubt, that I really would be fine tomorrow.

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4





Chapter


Gossip





I woke up the next morning far earlier than I’d intended to. A small flutter of nerves in my stomach told me that I was doing something potentially embarrassing today. I pushed the feeling back as I sat up. Unlike the dream I’d just awoken from, I wouldn’t be tripping in front of the class today. No, the only sort of embarrassment I’d feel was walking the halls with a rock star. I was pretty sure Kellan would feel the need to walk with me to my first class, like I was a Kindergartener going to school for the first time, but that was okay. Having him beside me drew all of the attention to him, and he didn’t mind being everyone’s focal point.

Looking around his empty bedroom, I wondered where the rock star was. Standing, I slipped on my underwear and grabbed one of his tshirts from his drawer. It smelled amazing as I slipped it over my head and I briefly considered wearing it to school with me. My first class today was British Literature with a focus on turn of the century femin-ism, but surely those long-deceased, forward thinking writers would understand the allure of Kellan Kyle’s clothing?

Knowing I was up way too early, hours before I had to get ready, I headed downstairs to where my boyfriend most likely was. Not surprisingly, I found him in the kitchen, perfect and causal, dressed in worn jeans and a light shirt. He was leaning against the counter as the coffee brewed. With the coffee scent mixing with the wondrous scent of him, I smiled and walked over to where he was watching me.

Before I could say anything, he spoke one of my favorite words.

“Mornin’.”





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Wrapping my arms around his waist, I snuggled into his chest. “Good morning.” It still being an indecent hour, I yawned after my greeting.

Chuckling, he rubbed my back. “You don’t have to wake up with me.